Same seats, higher price—UK watchdog says fans weren’t given the full story
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has warned that Ticketmaster may have violated consumer protection laws during the chaotic sale of Oasis’ 2025 reunion tour tickets.
The regulator alleges that fans were misled by the platform’s opaque pricing, particularly with “platinum tickets” that cost up to 2.5 times more than standard tickets—without offering extra benefits.
The CMA found that Ticketmaster failed to clearly disclose that platinum tickets were functionally identical to cheaper options, leaving fans in lengthy online queues unaware of pricing tiers.
While the company did not use real-time “dynamic pricing,” it released lower-priced tickets first before selling remaining inventory at inflated rates.
“We’re concerned fans didn’t get the information they needed or may have been misled,” said CMA’s Hayley Fletcher. The regulator is now in talks with Ticketmaster to enforce clearer pricing transparency.
Ticketmaster responded by stating it aims to provide a “simple, transparent, and consumer-friendly experience,” welcoming CMA feedback. The controversy follows similar backlash over platinum tickets, which artists like The Cure and Neil Young have recently rejected.
Oasis’ highly anticipated reunion tour begins July 4 in Cardiff, with a documentary about the tour also in the works.
